Converter controlling handle position in suction cleaner



May 29, 1 956 1.. E. SEGESMAN CONVERTER CONTROLLING HANDLE POSITION IN SUCTION CLEANER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 5 1951 INVENTOR. lou is Seyesman BY W =57 M ATTORNEY.

May 29, '1956 L. E. SEGESMAN 2, 1

CONVERTER CONTROLLING HANDLE POSITION IN SUCTION CLEANER Filed April 5, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2

INVENTOR. L 0 u isE Jeyesman ATTORNEY.

y 1956 L. E. SEGESMAN 2,747,215

CONVERTER CONTROLLING HANDLE POSITION IN SUCTION CLEANER Filed April 3 1951 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOH. L on isE Seyesman ATTORNEY.

United States Patent CONVERTER CONTROLLING HANDLE POSITION IN SUCTION CLEANER Louis E. Segesman, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoolvfr Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation ofO o Application April 3, 1951, Serial No. 218,947

3 Claims. (Cl. 15--333) This invention relates to suction cleaners, and more particularly to converting a cleaner to and from off-thefloor cleaning.

An object of the invention is to provide a suction cleaner having a converter receiving port which is opened and closed by a barrier controlled by movement of the cleaner propelling handle into different positions. Another object is to provide a handle controlled barrier for a converter port and which cooperates with a converter, when attached to the port, to maintain the handle in one of its positions during ofif-the-fioor cleaning. A further object is to provide a nozzle adjusting device which is locked in high nozzle position by a handle controlled barrier cooperating with a converter when the latter is attached to the cleaner. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side view partly in section of the cleaner in position for on-the-floor operation;

Figure 2 is a partial bottom view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the converter attached for oif-the-floor cleaning; and

Figure 4 is a section along the line 44 of Figure 3.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed comprises a cleaner body provided with a surface cleaning nozzle from the opposite ends of which extends a suction air passageway 11 and an unshown belt conduit each having a trunnion 12 rotatably supporting a housing 13 for a fan chamber 14 and an unshown motor. The fan chamber 14 has an inlet 15 and an exhaust 16 to which is attached the lower end of a filter bag 17 suitably supported at its upper end to a handle 18 secured to the housing 13. A fan 19 is supported on the motor shaft 20 and the unshown opposite end of the latter is provided with a pulley for a belt 21 in the belt conduit, and the belt 21 is connected to an agitator 22 rotatably mounted in the nozzle 10.

The cleaner body is supported on front wheels 25 and a pair of rear wheels 26, the latter being each mounted on brackets 27 attached to the cleaner body. The front wheels 25 are supported on aligned offset ends 28 of a crank shaft 29 having intermediate offset portions 30 rotatably secured to the cleaner body by brackets 31, and the shaft also has a central offset portion 32.

An adjusting device for the nozzle 10 includes a lever pivoted on a pin 36 mounted on the nozzle rear wall 37 and is provided at one end with a roller 38 supported on a pin 39. The lower portion of the lever 35 is located between the central offset shaft portion 32 and a member 40 secured to the housing 13, and the member 40 has stops 41 and 42 and a recess 43 for engagement with the roller 38 to limit movement of the handle 18 to its low, intermediate and vertical positions. A spring 45 at all times urges the roller 38 into engagement with the member 40. The weight of the cleaner on the front wheels 25 at all times tends to rotate the shaft 29 clockwise and thus urges the center offset portion 32 of the shaft into engagement with the arcuate surface 46 of the lever 35,

2,747,215 Patented May 29, 1956 whereby pivotal movement of the latter adjusts the nozzle 10. i i

The suction air passageway 11 extends rearwardly of the fan eye 15 and terminates in a port 47 for inserting a converter 48 into the passageway. Entrance of air through the port 47 into the passageway 11 is controlled by a valve 49 supported on a pin 50 rotatably mounted in the walls 51 and 52 of the passageway 11,'and a spring' 53 maintains the valve 49 in closed position during on-thefloor cleaning.

Access to the port 47 is controlled by a barrier or cover 55 secured to the housing 13 by screws 56 and has an arcuate portion 57 which extends between the walls 51 and 52 of the passageway 11 when the handle is in the position shown in Figure 1. wall of the air passageway permits movement of the barrier 55 with respect to the rear port 47 upon shifting the handle 18 between its horizontal and vertical positions. 1

When the handle is moved to the vertical position shown in Figure 3 the barrier 55 is beyond the port 47 to permit insertion of the converter 48 into the air passageway 11.

The converter 48 is provided at one end with an opening 60 for connection with the fan eye 15, and a knob 61 operates a spring latch 62 which seats in a recess 63 in the top wall of the air passageway-to position the opening 60 with respect to the fan eye 15. One end of a hose 64 is attachedto the converter 48 and the opposite end is provided with a suitable surface cleaning tool.

When the cleaner is employed for on-the-floor operation, the nozzle 10 is maintained in the adjusted position shown in Figure 1 during movement of the handle between its low and high operating positions, since the weight of the cleaner on the front wheels 25 rotates the shaft 29 clockwise to move the offset shaft portion 32 against the arcuate surface 46 of the lever 35, and the roller 38 constantly engages the radial surfaces on the member 40 between the stops 41 and 42, and the stop 42 and the point 65 on the member 40. During such movement of the handle 18, the barrier 55 obstructs the converter port 47 to prevent insertion of the converter 48 and the valve 49 is maintained in its closed position by the spring 53. The dirt removed from the surface by the agitator 22 is carried by the air stream through the passageway 11 and fan eye 15 into the fan chamber 14 from which it is discharged into the bag 17 and the latter filters the dirt from the air stream.

When it is desired to perform off-the-floor cleaning, the handle 18 is moved to its vertical position shown in Figure 3 and the roller 38 seats in the recess 43 causing the lever 35 and the shaft 29 to rotate counterclockwise and lower the front wheels 25 to raise the nozzle to inoperative surface cleaning position. The barrier 55 is also shifted to uncover the port 47, and the converter 48 is then inserted from the rear of the cleaner body through the port 47, and during such insertion the valve 49 is moved to its open position and when the spring latch 62 seats in the recess 63 the converter opening 60 is seated adjacent the fan eye 15 to disconnect the latter from the nozzle 10. The suction created by the fan 19 is then available to the hose 64 and its cleaning tool to clean surfaces off the floor.

The handle 18 is locked in its vertical position by the end 66 of the barrier 55 abutting the converter 48, and rotation of the housing is also prevented to thereby position the seat 43 opposite the roller and maintain the nozzle 10 in its inoperative surface cleaning position.

In order to remove the converter 48, the knob 61 is depressed to move the spring latch 62 out of the recess 63 and unlock the converter which is then pulled rearwardly out of the port 47. Thereafter the handle 18 is free to be moved to its operating range.

While I have shown and described but one embodiment A slot 58 in the;

3' of my invention, it is to be understood that this embodiment is to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. I do not wish tobe limited to the particular structure, shown and. described but, to, include. all equivalent variations except as limited by the scope of. the claims,

.I claim:

1 ,A suction cleaner comprising: abody having suction creating; means,-means defining an inlet to. said suction-creating means, asurface. cleaning nozzle, an air passageway between saidnozzle and inlet, a port in. said air passageway for inserting a, converter adapted toextend into communication with said inlet and interrupt flow of, air between said-inlet and said nozzle, a'handle mounted ,on, said.-,body for movement to different positionsea barrier, for.:sa id port mounted for movement with said; handle and at all times arranged at oneside of said inlet ,to :remain in non-interrupting relation between said inlet and nozzleduring-movement ofisaidhandle to different' positions, said-barrier obstructing said portwhen said ,handleis, in; one position and, movable withsaid handle to non;obstructing; position beyond saidport to, permit said insertion of said convertertuponrnovement of said handle to another position, said converternwhen inserted being arranged, with-respect; to said barrier to prevent movement of; the latter; and thus said handle from, said another position. a

2. A suction, cleaner; comprising: a body having .suc-

' tion-creating means, means defining an inlet to said-sueed on saidbody for movement to different positions,

nozzle adjusting means movably mounted on said body andoperativelyconnected to said handle to raise said nozzle when said handle is moved to one position, a,

barrier for said port and at all times arranged at. one

side of said inlet in non-interrupting relation between said inlet and nozzle and operatively connected to said handle for movement therelwith relative to said port to non-obstructing position beyond said port to permit said insertion of said converter upon movement of said handle to its said one position, saidconverter when inserted being arranged with respect to said barrier and handle to prevent movement of the latter and thus maintain said nozzle in its raised position.

3. A suction cleaner comprising: a body having suction creating means; means. defining an inlet to said suction creating means, a surface cleaning nozzle, an air 7 passageway. between said nozzle and said inlet and extending beyond the latter to a port facing the rear of said body for insertion ofa=converter adapted to extend into said passageway into communication with said inlet and interrupt flow of air between said inlet and said nozzle, axhandle. on said body movable to differentpositions, a barrierfor said port mounted for, movement with said handle relatively to the entrance of said port, valve means movably mounted in said air passageway betweensaid inlet, and barrier, said handle when in one position, moving said: barrier to non-obstructing position beyond said airv passageway for insertion of said converter through said port tomove said valve means to open position, said converterflwhen, inserted being arranged with respect to. said barrier to prevent movement of the latter and thus; said handle from said one position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,148,656 Srnellie Feb. 28, 1939 2,174,560 Becker Oct. 3, 1939 2,174,595 Pierce Oct. 3, 1939 2,325,796 Pierce et al. Aug. 3, 1943 2,416,418 Taylor Feb. 25, 1947 2,677,847 Smellie May 11, 1954 

